A true and sincere devotee of the Lord acquires a holy aura around him which
makes him effuse divinity and holiness similar to the Lord, thereby making their
presence beneficial for the whole world around them (verse no. 68-71). Like the
universality and oneness of the Supreme Being, Supreme Spirit, the Supreme Truth
and the Supreme Reality, such realised devotees of the Lord have no distinction as to
their caste, religion, knowledge, physical form, birth, level of worldly prosperity or
poverty, or the type of deeds done by them—because they have risen above such
mundane considerations (verse no. 72-73).
The 9 types or paths of Bhakti, called the ‘Navadhaa Bhakti’, according to Ram
Charit Manas, are the following:- (1) hearing about the Lord’s virtues, glories, deeds,
fames, holy name etc.; (2) talking and discussing about the Lord; (3) remembering
him; (4) serving his holy feet; (5) adoring and worshipping him; (6) honouring and
revering him; (7) submission and humility before him, treating him as a friend and
companion; (8) concentrating on one’s pure-self or Atma; (9) and treating the Atma
(soul) as being the manifestation of the Lord.
Tulsidas has used this ‘episode of Shabari’ to elucidate on the concept of 9-fold
path of Bhakti in the holy book’s Aranya Kand, Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes
Doha no. 35, till Chaupai line no. 7 that precedes Doha no. 36.
The importance of ‘Bhakti’ has been emphasized by Lord Ram in Ram Charit
Manas, Uttar Kand, from Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 86, to Doha no.
87 Ka.
Refer also to the following verses of Ram Charit Manas where the concept of
“Bhakti” have been elaborately described:—
(a) Ayodhya Kand—Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 93; Chaupai line
nos. 5-6 that precede Doha no. 131; Chaupai line no. 1 that precedes Doha no. 137;
Doha no. 204; Chaupai line nos. 1-2, 5 that precede Doha no. 218; Chaupai line nos.
4-5 that precede Doha no. 219; Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 265;
Chaupai line nos. 1-3 that precedes Doha no. 291; Chaupai line nos. 2-3 that precede
Doha no. 299; Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes Doha no. 301.
(b) Aranya Kand—Chaupai line nos. 2-9 that precede Doha no. 16; Chaupai line
nos. 4-5 that precede Doha no. 43.
(c) Kishkindha Kand—Chaupai line nos. 1-2 that precede Doha no. 12.
(d) Sundar Kand— Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes Doha no. 23; Doha no. 46,
and Chaupai line nos. 1-4, 6 that precede Doha no. 47; Doha no. 48 and Chaupai line
nos. 1-7 that precede it.
(e) Uttar Kand— Chanda line no. 5-16 that precedes Doha no. 14; Chaupai line
no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 37—to Doha no. 38; Chaupai line no. 3 that precedes
Doha no. 46; Chaupai line nos. 7-10 that precedes Doha no. 86; Chaupai line no. 8
that precedes Doha no. 87 and line no. 2 of Doha 87 Ka; Chaupai line nos. 5-8 that
precede Doha no. 116; Chaupai line nos. 3-7 that precedes Doha no. 119; Chaupai
line nos. 14-15 that precede Doha no. 120; Doha no. 122 and its preceding Chaupai
line nos. 15-19.
Refer also to Tulsidas’ book “Dohawali”, Doha nos. 53-54, 87-88, 126-127, 134-
140, 145, 147, 152,.
Other references: (a) Adhyatma Ramayan of sage Veda Vyas, Aranya Kand,
Canto 3, verse no. 37-39; and Uttar Kand, Canto 7, verse no. 60-72.
(b) The Tripadvibhut Maha Narayan Upanishad of the Atharva Veda tradition,
Canto 8, paragraph nos. 12-14 describe the importance and significance of Bhakti.]
kiana
(Kiana)
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